Handheld CB, Worth it?

[LR Max]

To preface, I am a licensed ham and prefer 2m. However reality is that not everyone on the trails is also a ham user. CB is extremely popular, especially in the southeast. So it makes sense for me to have a common piece of equipment. On the other side, FRS has been marginally useful on the trails. So I'm looking to upgrade my group from FRS to something easy like CB.

What I am looking for: A cheap handheld CB radio. I'm not going to use it often and have to be able to switch it from vehicle to vehicle as needed. When not in use, it'll be on a shelf. I don't mind it sitting on the center console when in use.

What I am using it for: On-trail communications. Nothing more. So a working radius of 1 mile is probably good enough or enough to reach a vehicle around the bend or whatever. Probably use it more for spotting communications than anything. If things get super serious, then I'll hop to the top of a hill. Basically, looking to replace FRS since those barely go from vehicle to vehicle.

Fortunately, I have an external mag mount. Not the best, but better than nothing. So that helps.

What does everyone think? I see a few cheap brick style 4w hand helds on Amazon. That would be what I'd look at.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Any antenna short enough to be manageable on a CB portable is going to be barely better than a dummy load that leaks RF. So a 1 mile radius is probably optimistic IMO. The only advantage is that you'll have a decent (presumably) radio and antenna on one end in your truck. But portable to portable is probably not going to be an improvement over FRS.

I think GMRS is the way to go personally, if people don't want to get their amateur licenses. Then you have a wide selection of really good options. The little 0.5W things like you've been using all the way to used 5W professional radios and 50W mobiles.

 

[outback97]

A Midland 75-822 paired with a mag mount antenna on the roof has worked well for me, for the same type of use that you're talking about. Without the external antenna it was fairly useless at more than 1/4 mile, but with the antenna on the roof it works well even for 10 vehicle groups spread out over some distance.

https://midlandusa.com/product/75-822cb-radio/

You can find them for $75 or so online. It plugs into the cig lighter but you can also run it with AA batteries.

 

[comptiger5000]

CBs work for vehicle to vehicle, but handhelds are pretty much worthless. What about GMRS as a low barrier of entry alternative? Yeah, the license isn't free, but there's no test or anything. And it opens up the options for good handhelds.

Personally, I'd say a CB in each vehicle and GMRS (handhelds and maybe some vehicle mounted) should cover you pretty well. There may be times where either CB or GMRS works better range-wise (depending on what's around you). And CB gear is cheap anyway. Plus, it gives you the option of using CB for vehicle to vehicle and then GMRS for when someone needs to talk to a spotter or other person using a handheld (without cluttering up or needing to switch away from your main group comm channel).

 

[MNCarl]

I just recently got my Ham license and like you stated some people on trail rides only have CB radios.
I have a Cobra 75 WX ST with a magmount antenna.
https://www.cobra.com/products/recreational/c-75-wx-st

 

[craig333]

If you don't mind getting outside the cab to use it, it may be good enough for your intended use. I used to carry a handheld to loan out to people who didn't have a cb until one time it failed to get returned.

 

[prerunner1982]

I think the Midland 75-822 would be good for you due to the fact it can be a hand held or mobile.
The Cobra 75 wouldn't be bad either you could leave the box part mounted and just disconnect the mic cord when not in use.

I don't usually run a CB but when I have to I have a Cobra 19 with a power cord that plugs into the cig lighter and I just wedge the CB between the seat and console. It's also less than half the price of the Midland 75-822 and 1/3 the price of the Cobra 75.

I agree that GMRS is a better option for trail/convoy comms but it's going to depend on who you are running with and what they are using. Having all 3 (2m, GMRS, and CB) would cover most all bases. GMRS mobiles can have upto 50 watts and the antennas are super short compared to CB, they are also more forgiving of where they are mounted since they require substantially less ground plane than a CB antenna. And they work with FRS handhelds. The GMRS license also covers your immediate family and is good for 10yrs.

 

[Mike.rider]

A Midland 75-822 paired with a mag mount antenna on the roof has worked well for me, for the same type of use that you're talking about. Without the external antenna it was fairly useless at more than 1/4 mile, but with the antenna on the roof it works well even for 10 vehicle groups spread out over some distance.

https://midlandusa.com/product/75-822cb-radio/

You can find them for $75 or so online. It plugs into the cig lighter but you can also run it with AA batteries.

I have 2 of these, and they work very well. I have one hard wired in my trail rig and one in my tow rig.

Love the ability to pull the radio out to communicate when spotting others.

I was in the same boat. I’m a ham but not everyone else is (weird right)

The midland has fit the bill very well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Klierslc]

The short answer is yes, a handheld is worth it. Paired with the mag mount antenna you'll get fine performance. With the rubber ducky, you'll be lucky to get the 1 mile you are looking for.

 

[pagero]

I started out with a Midland 75-822 + mag mount and it works well. If you're not happy with the mag mount, consider putting another NMO mount on a bracket with a PL 259 in the cab and you can use the same mount for either a CB antenna or an antenna for a second ham as needed.

 

[gary in ohio]

While a ham , a CB is fine but I would go with a rig mounted radio/antenna. Handhelds are such a compromise on antenna, range is very limited.

 

[BigSwede]

Yeah, transmitting from inside a metal box doesn't work so well.

+1 on the Midland 75-822 with an external antenna. I have a 2M ham for my club but there are a couple of events a year that cling to CB so I use the Midland with a mag mount antenna for that.

 

[rnArmy]

A hand-held is better than nothing, and usually folks have at least a CB radio.

Hard-mounted CBs aren't expensive. You can buy simple ones at Wal-Mart and have them plug into a cigarette lighter socket, and run a magnetic antenna.

https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=cb radio&typeahead=cb radio

I've also got a couple hand-held CBs which plug into a cigarette lighter socket that I've been known to loan-out to folks on the trail.

I'm running a little Cobra 19D in my Jeep - nothing fancy. And a tunable 4' firestick antenna mounted above the back tail light. It always did what I wanted/expected of it to do.